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Travis Wood and Mike Leake

For all the DiDi talk, I thought I'd throw this one out there. When Leake was drafted, he was said to be so polished he would go straight to the major leagues. Now I believe he'd have been better served to start at AA and work his way up a bit, learn how to be a professional ball player, pitching every 5 days. But it was almost a forgone conclusion he wouldn't start in the minor leagues. So, he was competing for the 5th starters spot, and he won it over Travis Wood, who was later traded to the Cubs for Marshall.

But.. did the Reds trade the wrong guy?

Wood has logged about 100 fewer innings than Leake, and is a year older. Both pitch in hitter's parks in a hitter's division. Wood is better at getting a K, though he's certainly not fantastic at it, 6.9 K/9 is decent.

And certainly this year, he's been stellar.

My biggest Leake complaint is he's just too hittable. I don't see all the "movement" he's reputed to have. I see laser straight fastballs in the zone, and he gets pounded like a mallard in a butcher shop.

For all the hand wringing over a SS with 59 career AB's, Travis Wood is what should be driving you nuts. I watched him carve up the Cardinals last night. Fast worker, gets in a good rhythm, and gets ahead of hitters.

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